By Costantine Muganyizi
Milmar Insurance Consultants Ltd.’s double triumph at the inaugural ATI Insurance Awards 2026 has put a spotlight on an increasingly important driver of Tanzania’s insurance growth.
Senior company officials say the recognition demonstrates how experience, professional excellence and institutional strength can help shape a stronger insurance industry.
The nearly four-decade old firm was named Insurance Broker of the Year, while its Co-founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Nitin Desai, received a Lifetime Achievement in Insurance Award – two accolades that connect the company’s current performance and market leadership with more than five and a half decades of insurance experience.
Presented at the Super Dome in Masaki, Dar es Salaam, on May 22, the awards organized by the Association of Tanzania Insurers (ATI) recognized excellence, professionalism, innovation, leadership and contribution across Tanzania’s insurance value chain.
For Milmar, the significance lies not simply in winning two awards, but in what they represent: an established institution being recognized for present-day performance while its founder is honored for a career spanning more than 55 years.
Established on November 09, 1989, Milmar has built its business around insurance broking, risk advisory and claims-management services, covering more than 26 areas including property, marine, aviation, industrial risks, professional indemnity, employers’ liability, motor and contractors’ all-risk insurance.
Its business performance provides one measure of its growth, but Milmar’s contribution to the insurance market extends beyond financial performance. Over the years, the company has played an active role in educating clients on insurance, providing professional advice and claims consultancy, and helping businesses better understand and manage their insurance risks.
Through its advisory and consulting work, Milmar has supported clients in protecting their assets, improving risk management practices and making more informed business decisions. The company has also contributed to the development of insurance knowledge and practices within the market by promoting greater awareness of policy terms, claims procedures, risk mitigation and the importance of appropriate insurance protection.
Milmar General Manager and Principal Officer Mohammed Morawej said the Broker of the Year award reflected a culture built over many years rather than the performance of a single period.
“Winning the Broker of the Year Award is a reflection of what has always given Milmar its edge — our unwavering commitment to our clients.”
He said the company’s strength also rested on its people and their ability to combine technical expertise with integrity and adaptability.
“Our strength is also our people – a team that combines experience, technical knowledge, integrity and a willingness to continuously evolve with the changing needs of the market.”
That combination is becoming increasingly important as the role of insurance brokers expands beyond placing policies. Brokers help businesses identify and assess risks, select appropriate covers, negotiate terms and navigate claims – functions that become more complex as Tanzania attracts investment into infrastructure, manufacturing, construction, logistics, trade, marine activity, aviation and technology.
Mr Desai’s Lifetime Achievement Award adds another dimension to Milmar’s recognition. Having spent more than five and a half decades in insurance, he has witnessed the industry move from relationship-driven and largely traditional processes towards a market increasingly influenced by technology, data, regulation and sophisticated risks.
Yet, he told Business Insider that the fundamentals of insurance remain unchanged.
“Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award is deeply humbling because it represents more than 55 years of work. It represents the people I have worked with, the clients who trusted us, the colleagues who became friends, and the generations of professionals who will carry the industry forward.”
His observation points to a broader lesson for an industry seeking deeper penetration and greater public confidence: technology and regulation can strengthen insurance, but trust, professionalism and the ability to deliver when clients need protection remain central to its value.
Tanzania’s economic transformation is simultaneously creating new opportunities for the insurance industry. As businesses expand and investment flows into productive sectors, the value of assets and the complexity of risks requiring protection are also increasing.
A stronger insurance ecosystem can therefore do more than compensate for losses. It can protect investment, strengthen business resilience, improve confidence among investors and businesses, and support sustainable economic growth.
In that context, the inaugural ATI Awards provide more than a platform for celebrating individual winners. They can help establish benchmarks for service quality, professionalism, leadership, governance and innovation across the industry.
For Milmar, the double recognition consequently represents both an achievement and a responsibility – to build on its experience while continuing to adapt to a changing market. “We are proud of this achievement, and determined to ensure that winning Broker of the Year becomes a benchmark for the level of service we continue to deliver,” Mr Morawej said.
